Pasta so high in calories, any healthy ones?

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  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,902 Member
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    BarbaraHelen2013 wrote: »
    I used to think like that about pasta, that only a big serving would do, but I’ve recently learned that my love for pasta can be satisfied with much much less, if I combine it with full flavoured veg and low calorie sauce.

    My standard serving is now down to 35g, weighed raw, with lots of peppers, courgette, onion, a handful of olives etc in a home made tomato sauce which I cook without any oil (so basically just the tomatoes herbs and garlic)

    I also don’t like spiralised veg as total pasta replacement but it’s fine to bump up volume as acpgee says above. Also, I very much like using thinly sliced griddled courgette or aubergine as ‘pasta’ sheets in lasagne.

    I decided I’d rather eat some pasta, with adjustments rather than no pasta, ever!

    Yes, I too now eat less pasta, with more veggies (and protein.)
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
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    For large flat noodles such as those, I like to stretch them using mushrooms or mushroom slices. Ordinary button mushrooms work but if you want to be fancy, there are some varieties of dried mushrooms found in Asian groceries which have a very al dente texture and minimal flavor, and hardly any calories.

    In addition to spiralized zucchini you can make slices of zucchini or other vegetables using a peeler. Winter squash can work well this way.
  • StaciMarie2020
    StaciMarie2020 Posts: 68 Member
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    When I eat pasta - I weigh it out dry and cook my portion apart from the family's. 2-3 oz dry (200-300 cals approximately) is plenty for a dinner portion. Factor in sauce, veggies on the side or a salad, and some protein: its a pretty big meal in terms of bulk so I don't feel like I'm restricting myself by only eating '2-3 oz'.

    But lately I've been on a spaghetti squash kick. I'll buy the smallest one I can find, and it make 2 meals for me. I like spaghetti squash. It is a different texture than actual pasta but with sauce, crumbled turkey sausage, a very generous dash of garlic salt and some paremsan cheese: I am eating a big plate of yumminess for about 240 calories.
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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    just_Tomek wrote: »
    LyndaBSS wrote: »
    just_Tomek wrote: »
    LyndaBSS wrote: »
    If you're up for a challenge, try shirataki noodles instead of regular pasta. Less than 10 calories per serving.

    Warning, it's an acquired taste. 😁

    Nothing to do with pasta. Completely different beast used for different meals.

    I respectfully disagree. I use shirataki fettuccine instead of pasta fettuccine and also use a tomato based sauce with it.

    I know you can use it. You can also spiralize veggies and call it spaghetti. But you and I both know that neither of those are real pasta made of semolina and water. What I have posted at least feels and tastes just like real pasta.
    The difference is just like it VS just good enough.
    Now throw that shiratake into a curry or soup, no problem.

    I have to agree. If I want pasta then it needs to be pasta. I tried the "zoodles". It didn't taste bad but it didn't fool me...it wasn't pasta. I do this one dish where I use half pasta and half zoodles. I tastes good but I wouldn't say that it tastes as good as if I had of used all pasta.

    I just don't like fake stuff.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,178 Member
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    I enjoy chickpea or pea pasta in some uses, which has about twice as much protein as wheat pasta for the same calories. I find that it has a slightly flatter taste, so I prefer it with a hearty sauce. Someone here suggested cooked lentils mixed with powdered dried mushrooms (pulverize dehydrated mushrooms in a blender or food processor) plus tomato sauce and seasonings, as a vegetarian option. A hearty meat sauce would also be good.

    There are also soy or edamame pastas. They tend to have 3-4 times as much protein as wheat pasta, for the same calories. To me, these have a chewier texture than wheat pasta, so I don't really enjoy them with tomato sauce or creamy sauces. However, I find them quite tasty in pseudo-Asian dishes. A favorite is one of these pastas plus stir-fried veggies with a peanut sauce made from peanut butter powder, chile paste, and rice vinegar plus other seasonings of choice (could add a suitable meat or seafood, of course). If you don't like spicy things, omit the chile paste, and use miso or soy sauce.
  • dmkoenig
    dmkoenig Posts: 299 Member
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    2oz. Edamame spaghetti = 24g protein, 20g carb (of which 13g is fiber), and 3.5g fat. 180 calories. It's a spongier texture than regular pasta but not bad. There are other "pastas" like black bean but they tend to have a stronger flavor and coarser texture.
  • TonyRyad
    TonyRyad Posts: 6 Member
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    Miracle noodles... 0 calories pastas
  • petrinaradford
    petrinaradford Posts: 77 Member
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    Thanks everyone, I see I will measure way less than 125g.
  • petrinaradford
    petrinaradford Posts: 77 Member
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  • Womona
    Womona Posts: 1,605 Member
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    This is 2.01 oz of gluten free pasta-one serving. Sigh. It’s pitifully small, but when I added Italian sausage, 5 oz of leftover green beans and some homemade sauce, it made for a nice filling dinner!

    When I do eat pasta, I normally just plan around the fact that I’m having a double serving of pasta and plan my other meals accordingly.
  • Clairin
    Clairin Posts: 95 Member
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    snowflake954 wrote: »
    You will find that fitting into your daily calorie goal means compromising. A 125g raw pasta serving is big even where I live--Rome. A normal size is 100g and I get by with 50g + veggies and fish or meat, depending on the day. I make pasta in hundreds of different ways. Yesterday was ragu and today was with white beans. Pasta substitutes don't do it for me, but you can decide for yourself. Good luck on your weight loss.
    I live in Spain and a serving here on the package is 100g dry same as Italy. I also weigh 50gr penne and fill up on vegetables.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    Womona wrote: »
    xt75c3io870f.jpeg
    This is 2.01 oz of gluten free pasta-one serving. Sigh. It’s pitifully small, but when I added Italian sausage, 5 oz of leftover green beans and some homemade sauce, it made for a nice filling dinner!

    When I do eat pasta, I normally just plan around the fact that I’m having a double serving of pasta and plan my other meals accordingly.

    dry or cooked? that doesn't look like enough if you weighed out the dry measurement
  • bearly63
    bearly63 Posts: 734 Member
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    I like the Banza brand when I really feel like pasta instead of veggie spirals. Made from chickpeas. With a good sauce and lots of veggies, its pretty tasty and has a decent amount of protein.
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
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    I love spiralilzed Zuchinni with a meat sauce (to be honest I now prefer it). If I'm doing a creamy sauce I spiralize carrots. If it's a pasta dish that I would normally use egg noodles in I will use spiralized carrot in a fettuccini shape and add half noodles. There are alot of ways to satisfy the craving. Is it the same? No. Let's be honest, none of them are going to be quite the same but I'm learning to appreciate other alternatives. If I really want pasta I have a small serving of whole wheat pasta because it's more filling and I don't mind it being denser. As for shirataki noodles, I have used them and they are fine but not the same as pasta and I agree they are an acquired taste. They are chewier and flavorless so you need a sauce that is very flavorful. This journey is all about finding what you can live with permanently. It's not about a temporary alternative. Try new things and see what fits for your life. I hardly miss pasta anymore.
  • memurph88
    memurph88 Posts: 102 Member
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    When I want pasta for dinner, I'll usually have spaghetti squash and then put in like a 1/4 cup (ish) of regular pasta just to satisfy my tastebuds.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,902 Member
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    I make the dairy version of Cauliflower Mac And Cheese (vegan options available too) https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2018/10/01/cauliflower-mac-and-cheese-recipe/

    It tastes a lot like my JOC Mac & Cheese, but is bulked up by the very low calorie cauliflower, which does not unpleasantly change the taste.
  • FireyChimera
    FireyChimera Posts: 155 Member
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    calories aren't what makes a food healthy or not, it's the nutritional profile that makes it "healthy or unhealthy". Either way, a calorie is a calorie

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